When the college left

The story of Wake Forest alone will be retold Sunday, Nov. 3

Sunday, Nov. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m. the executive director of the Wake Forest Historical Museum, Ed Morris, and a group of survivors from the time “an atomic bomb” hit the historic college town – Wake Forest College would relocate to Winston-Salem.

It truly felt like the town, which was first chartered as the Town of Wake Forest College because it was controlled by the college, would die. It nearly did when the move was final in 1956. All the many restaurants in town except Shorty’s closed. Ben’s of Wake Forest, a men’s clothing store, went out of business as did several others like the grocery stores that had supplied the many boarding houses and restaurants. Many of the large faculty-owned houses on North Main Street, once dubbed Faculty Avenue, were empty. The reason for the town’s existence was gone.

Well, the town did survive and then began to thrive because of the enterprise and vision of several people who lured industry to town and founded or maintained businesses that were needed by those survivors and newcomers who began to filter into town.

Learn about the move, the dislocation and the survival Sunday at the museum at 414 North Main Street from 3 to 5 p.m. There is no charge although members of the Wake Forest Historical Association will be happy to take membership renewals and new memberships for $10 each. There will be time for questions and refreshments at the end. Also, people new to the museum are encouraged to browse through the many exhibits.

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